The House of Hades

Chapter 26: Annabeth/Percy

      Okay, well, I still couldn't decide whether to make this chapter Percy, or Annabeth, so I made it both! Enjoy this bonus Tartarus chapter!

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      Chapter 26: Annabeth/Percy        

       Annabeth was ashamed of herself. She couldn't believe she had let Percy get so badly injured! And, Gaea had done something to the ambrosia and nectar, so Percy couldn't eat or drink it. 

       As she watched Lycia setting his leg, helped by Tyson, she admired how quick and deft Lycia was. Even she, Annabeth couldn't do a better job.

        Her eyes drifted back to her surroundings. If she had thought the upper part of Tartarus was bad, this section was nothing less than pure torture. Rather than black rock everywhere, like they were in an endless dark cavern, right now she was in Camp Half-Blood. Or what used to be Camp Half-Blood. All the cabins were burning, the Big House was in shambles, all her friends were running around, screaming their heads off...

        And then it shifted. Annabeth was in a forest. normally, she liked forests, but this one had a sinister feel to it. Suddenly, the leaves rustled behind her, and Thalia jumped out, and arrow notched, pointed at her heart. She released the arrow.

        Annabeth knew the pain wasn't real, there wasn't really a silver arrow buried in her abdomen, but that didn't stop the tears streaming down her face as she bit back the scream that was threatening to break forth, and stared into the cold eyes of her best friend. Then Thalia disappeared, along with the arrow, though the pain took a heck of a lot longer to fade away. 

        And then the forest was gone, replaced by a cave with beautiful gems and minerals sparkling at her...and a new torture began.

         The only constant was Percy, Lycia, and Tyson. Annabeth knew that without them whe would have been driven insane. Already she was at the breaking point. The scene shifted, now back to the black cave that it kept returning to, and Annabeth suddenly had the strong feeling that they were in grave danger, that they needed to start moving now. Before she could voice her thought, however, she heard a howl from behind her. Turning around, she saw a wall of black fur coming at her. A hellhound. 

        Whipping out her knife, she stabbed it just as it's teeth sank into her arm. Annabeth let out an agonized scream...and all Hades broke loose.

        A dozen more hellhounds burst into the cavern, surrounding Annabeth. Out of the corner of her eyes, she saw Lycia and Tyson quickly toss Percy like a rag doll behind one of the rocks against the wall, and melt into the shadows. It was a smart move, at least they would be safe.

      The hellhounds were followed by many dracanae, telhekines, empousae, dracanae, basically almost every kind of monster Percy and Annabeth had ever fought. They all formed a circle around her, their weapons all pointed at her heart. Into the middle of the circle strode a very familiar monster, probable the leader.

       He had red skin, and was easily ten feet tall. He wore a dirty loincloth, and when he leered at her, Annabeth could see his teeth were carved into wave patterns. (A/N sorry if the description is wrong, I don't have the Battle of the Labyrinth right next to me) It was Antaeus.

     He threw back his head and laughed loudly, baring his teeth.

    "Daughter of Athena," he taunted, "caught and cornered once more! But where is that puny son of Poseidon?" Annabeth felt anger bubbling up inside her.